Engine-starter.



c. I. GQLBMAN. BNGINBSTARTERH APPLIUATION FILED JULY 16,1904.

Patented Dec. 12,1911.

a slums-SHEET 1 C. J. COLEMAN. 'ENGINE STARTER. APPLICATION FILED JULY 16 v Patented Dec, 12, 191.1.

s SHEETS-SHEET 0.1J. COLEMAN. EN (HNE STARTER. APPLICATION I'ILEI? JULY 16,1904.

1 Patented Dec. 12, 19151.

.a enna-summa..

' To all whom 'it may concern:

I nu TED srnfrns Parana* OFFICE.

cnrnn e". COLEMAN, or nooxawar, New JERSEY, nssrenonre nonnen Henner. or

- ynew YORK, N. Y.

ENGINE-STARTER..

Specification of Letters Patentp Patenteanea1a1'911.

I Application led July 16, 1304.4 Serial No. 216,913.

Be it known that l, CLYDE J. COLEMAN,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Rockaway, in the county of .Morris and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Engine- Starters, of'which the following is a specication, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing, forming a part thereof; n

My invention relates to starting means for engines not self-starting, such as keiiplosion engines, and means embodying myV invention are particularly adapted for use on engines of automobiles by reason of the frequent necessity in the use of automobiles for' theperformance of the starting operation. Y

My invention has for its objects simplicity of construction, durability,' reliability in operation, and the realization of other advantages which will appear in the/following specification.

My invention particularly relates toengine starters tion of the power yoit' the engine to store power in a retractive or power storing device by the self-actuation of the engneu on the attainment of a predeterminedspee of the engine.

The present invention includes various improvements in the construction and combi'- nation of parts of such an engine-starter,

such improvements being also generally applicable to power start-ing means.

I will now describe the construction embodying my invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings and will thereafter point out my invention in claims.y

Figure 1 is a partly sectional elevation of the starter, dog releasing Fig. 3. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section of the same, taken on a plane indicated the line 2.-2, Figi, looking to the right in Fig. 1, as indicated by the arrows 2 a. Fig. -3 is a transverse vertical sectional detail on 'the same plane, as indicated by the arrows 3, 3. Fig. 4 1s va detached-plan view of the winding clutchdisk and clutch-dog releasing device. Fig.

5 is an enlarged detail cross-section of the same. Fi 6 is a detail section,taken on a plane indicated bythe line, 'in Fig.r 2,

characterized by the utilizathe section through the clutchdevice at the left of this figure. `being .indicated by the broken line 1-1,A

van actuating pedal 17, this looking to the right:

showing .the detent for `one of the governor arms. Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic viewv of the `starter and an explosion engine to which .it

is connected, and of .portions of an automobile body.

The engine 1 illustrated yin outline in Fig. 7 is an-explosion engine of ordinary construction, Which, by reason of the fact that itis non-starting or not-,sel-starting,.re

quires the application of a rotative force to its main haft 5 to initiate the rotative movement 4'thereof and to continue such. movement until the engine is self-actuated.

The direction of rot-ation of the engine is indicated by the arrows 4c. The rotative force is shown as applied to the sprocketwheel 111 fixed on the engine shaft 5 and' driven during the starting operation by a chain 12 running over this sprocket-wheel and also 7running over the sprocket-wheel r of the starter, the last mentioned sprocket- .wheel'r being the engine-connected part of the starter. l

. `The retractive power device of thestarter is shown as a coiled or helical spring va secured at its inner end to a fixed sleeve a vonl theshaft o of the starter and secured at its outer end to Aa drum d, this drum inclosing.-

`the spring and being carried atits rear end by a hubdQ tted to rotate on the starter shaft c. TheV drum has at its front end` a head d', the hub of which is partly internally threaded andbears at. its untlireaded portion upon the starter shaft' c, being tted so as torotate freely thereon. The starter shaft c is fitted to rotate in standards 8- and ,9 of the starter frame, this frame also having an u per plate 7 which maybe suitably secured o the automobile body as in the position shown in Fig. 7 YThe front. head d of the spring-drum has a forwardly projectingring Z with lock-teeth formed thereon and these tooth 'j of a lock-arm 10, this lock-arm being pivoted to a lug 11 of the frame and actuated by a rod 16 shown as connected to pedal beingL con-- veniently located in the` body 2O of the autolock-teeth are engaged byl a mobile, so that it may be readily actuated bythe operator and depressed to unlock thespring drum and permit the starter spring to start the engine, and so thatthe pedal may be released to permit. the helical spring 13, connected to the upper plate 7 'of the starter, to return the lock-arm 10 and the K lock-arm to locking position," thereby elevatin'g the edal. The lock-arm is limited in its unloc g movement by the engagement of a notched stop-piece 18 thereon with a stop-pin: 15.

The hub of the front vhead d of thespring-drum has xed thereon a starting lratchet-wheel g. A winding clutch-disk h is -xed upon the starter shaft c, and the sprocket-wheel 1', from which runs the 'chain 12 connecting the starter with the engine shaft, is fitted to rotate freely on the starter shaft c, and is located thereon between the start-ing ratchet-wheel g and the winding clutch-disk L.' i'

The sprocket-wheel 1' .carries startingv pawls, of which two g', g', are shown, these starting-pawls engaging the` teeth of the starting ratchet-wheel gduring the starting operation to transmit the rotation of the spring-drum to the sprocket-wheel 11.' When the engine is self-actuated these power- I p'awls are carried forward and are-drawn outward by centrifugal force, overcoming their lightsprings g2, g2, and moving them clear ofthe ower ratchet-wheel g, so that during the se f-actuation of the engine they will be held by centrifugal force out of contact with `the ratchet-wheel and will not rub over the teeth of the wheel, and the wear and noise which would otherwise re sult will thus be avoided.' When, however,

vth'e engine slows down below a predeterininedgspeed, the springs g2 will move the pawls inward into contact with the teeth of the starting ratchet-wheel and they will be in position toengage the ratchet-wheel to impart thereto the thrust of the starting spring and willbe held in cbntact therewith by their locking engagement until released and thrown outward by the self-actuation.

olf-.the engine.

fe parts above described perform the starting operation. This operation will now bedescribed before describing the powerstoring-or winding mechanism and the operation whereby the springis automatically wound so as to be ready to perform the starting operation.

lthe spring is wound, is exerted upon the `The thrustl of the starter-spring a, when spring-drum d in the direction in which the i engine is to be rotated, and the lock-arm l0, by engagement of its tooth j with the lock-teeth b, prevents rotation of the spring` drum under the thrust of the starter-spring,

` thus securely, holding the starter with its spring wound-fread vto start `the engine. When the pedal 17 1s depressed by the operator, the lock-arm 10. -is moved to unlock v the spring-drumagand thethrust of the starter-spun is then; exerted from the starting' rate et-wheel g through the starting-pa'wls to the sprocketf wheel r, sprocket-chamlQ and engine-shaft sprocketvof the clutch-dogs 0, 0.

wheel 14, to start the engine and continue the rotation thereof. When the engine becomes self-actuated with greater rotative speed than is applied to it by the starterspring, the starting-pawls g will -be advanced as above described and moved outward by centrifugal force, so that their continued movement under ,the operation of the engine will be altogether clear of contact with the startinglratchet-wheel g. To prevent unwinding of the spring beyond its ynatural or normal set or shape, which would tend to wind it in an opposite direction and might break a' spring of considerable strength, I provide a ratchet-wheel z' fixed on the front end of the starter-shaft c-and engaged by a back stop-pawl "pivoted on the relatively stationary standard 9 of the starter frame, so as to lock the starter-shaft .c against backward rotative movement but lease of the pedal will occur before the e'x- '1 haustion of the starter-spring, but should it be delayed beyond the point of exhaustion of the starter-spring, no injury could result tothe mechanism by reason of the operation of the construction above described. The strength and capacity of the starter spring would usually be such as to allow an ample margin over the maximum work required to start the engine.

The winding clutch-disk 7L (fixed on the starter shaft c) is provided with clutchdogs, of which two 0, o, are shown. These clutch-dogs are normally held in their extreme outer positions, shown in Fig. 2, by'

light springs o as well as by centrifugal force. 'Governor-arms are also provided carried by the sprocket-wheel 7^ andI pivotally mounted thereon, two of these arms p, p, being shown, eachgovernor-arm having a weighted end and a toothed end and the governor-arms being connected by helical extensible springs p', p', tending to hold the arms in the positions shown in Fig. 2 with their toothed ends clear of the ath Centrifugal orce will tend to move the weighted ends of the governor-arms outward and their toothed ends inward. For the'purpose of restraining the movement of these governor-arms I provide spring-detents s therein wh1ch normally. enter depressions 1n the face of l the sprocket-wheel r (see Fig. 6), affording power-storing operation.A

v a resistance superadded to that of the'governor-springs p and holding the governorarms until a centrifugal force has developed which will .move them quickly outward and will thereby cause a quick inward movement of their toothed `ends and a positive engagement with the clutch-dogs 0, 0, of the wind- 'ing clutch-disk h. This movement will not occur until a predetermined speed of the engine, usually its full speed, has been attained, so that the work of winding the starterspring willnot have to -be performed by the engine until it is fully capable of performing such :operation in addition to itsordinary work. The movement of the governorarms is limited by ordinaryxed pins 1" enteringgf-slots in the face of the sprocketwheel r." When the winding clutch-disk h l1s actuated by the sprocket-wheel r, the' starter-shaft c' will be rotated and the rotative forceapplied' atthe one end of the spring will wind the spring or store ,power therein. As the spring is wound'asliderod e, which is seated in a key-way in the starter-shaft c and is shaped ati its rear end to engage the internal threads of the hub ofthe front head d vof the spring-drum d, will be moved rearward and as it approaches the end of its rearward movement' will actuate mechanism which I will now descr1be.for discontinuing the winding or The releasing plate 4t is mounted on a sleeve v on the starter-shaft in front of the winding clutch-disk z.- and is provided with overhangingends t', t', the inner arc-shaped faces of which are adapted, when the releasing plate` is moved rearward, to engage forward projections on the clutch-dogs 0 (see' Fig. 4) and thereby to move the clutchdogs inward clear of the ltoothed ends ofthe 'governor-arms' p. The releasing yieldingly held against part-rotative movetudinallyby shoulders on the sleeve fv.

- its groove,under control of a spring a in "the groove andbearing against* the lspline .e (see. Fig. 5). This spline-and-groove connection permits they sleeve 'u kto move longitudinally on the .starter-shaft, but the sleeve is controlled in such'longitudinal movement Vby helical springs10V/0^a which are located between the ends of the sleeve vv `andrings o', @Q -these rings being fitted loosely on the starter-shaft c and secured, as by set screws,

plate t is ciple and scope oflmy invention.

to the slide-rod e so that they will move longitudinally. with the slide-rod as the. sliderod is actuated by the winding or unwinding of the starter-spring a. A ysleeve-positio'ningr detent spring-pin is carried by the sleeve v and has a grooved and taper-headed end entering-a socket in the starter-shaft o, and a lock vplate y is carried-by the sliderod e and engages in the groove of the spring detent-pin' so as to prevent the withdrawal of the detent-pin from its socket in the starter-shaft -c until the slide-'rod e has been drawn rearward very nearly to its extreme rearward position, thereby 'positively hold? ing the releasing plate t in its forward or non-operative position and causing the front actuating means for the `clutch-releasing plate t, to be compressed vuntil the plate y has moved clear of the'detent-pin. When the plate fl/ clears the detent-pin m, the de.

'tent-pinis quickly withdrawn and the releasing plate is projected quickly rearward `by thespring fw and engages the projections of theclutch-dogs`` 0, the spring-pins 1 1,

the clutch-dogs are drawn inward clear o f the path of the toothed ends of the-governorarms p and thus the winding operation discontinued'with the spring fully wound. The back-stop-pawl and ratchet z', i', retain the spring in its wound condition, and permit ythe relatively fixed starter frame to spring lw, which constitutes resilient reactive cushion the shock of such engagement, and

serve as an anchor or abutment to receive the starting thrust of the spring ain effecting the starting operation. During the unwindng movement of the starter-spring the slide-rod e is moved forward andthe rear spring lw compressed.. 4After a comparatively small unwinding movement the force stored in the rear springw moves the releasingy plate t forward clear of the projections of the clutch-dogs, releasing the clutchdogs so that they may assume their normal lpositions shown, ready to be engaged by the toot-hed ends of the governor-arms whenl the predetermined speed of the engine has been attained. As the sleeveo is moved forward so that the detent-pin4 a@l registers with its'socket in the starterLshaft c, the detentpin is forced by its spring into such socket, the slight play of the splme a and the control of the yspline-spring e permitting the .sleeve fvto yield'rotatively suiiiciently for the tapering end ofthe detent-pin to passV the lock-plate'. y, but when the groove of the detent-Pll has become engaged vthe lock- Aplate y, the detent-pin cannot again be withdrawn from its socket until the lock-plate y has been moved rearward clear of the detent-pin. i

lIt is obvious that various modilications may be made inthe construction shown and above particularly described within the prinmovement of the power-storing device, and aV -clutch-releasing means at non-operative position until a p-redetermined point is reached in the power-storing operation.

2. An engine-starter comprising a powerstoring device, driving means for connecting the power-storing device with an engine to start the engine and means including a centrifugal clutch for connecting the engine with the power-storing device to store power in the power-storing device, clutch-releasing means, reactive actuating-means forl the clutch-releasing means arranged to be grady ua'lly put under stress by the power-storing movement of the power-storing device, and a locking device for restraining such stressed reactive means, the locking device being controlled by the power-storing device-so as to be unlocked at a predetermined' `oint in the power-storing movement thereo 3a An engine-starter comprising a powerstormg device, a member rotatively connect- 'ed with the engine, means for connecting the power-storing device with/the engine-.con-v nected member to start an er`igine,acentrif-v ugal clutch for connecting the engine-connected member with the power-storing device tostore power therein, clutch releasing means, vresilient actuating means for the' clutch-releasing means arranged to be gradually put under tension by the power-storing locking device for holdingl the clutch-releasing means athen-operative position-in opposition to lthe tension of the resilientactuating means until a predetermined point reached in the power-storing movement the power-storing device.

storing. device, amember rotatively connected with the engine, -means for .connecting the power-storing device withb the engine- ,connected member to start an engine, a cen.-

trifugal clutch for connecting the engineconnected member with the power-storin device tov store power therein, a slide-ro actuated by the power-storing device, clutchreleasing means for the centrifugal clutch,`

yieldable -reactivejactuating means connecting the clutch-releasin Si.A

4. An engine-starter comprising -a powermeans with the slide-rod, for transmitting clutch-releasing f' energy from the slide-rod to the clutch-releasing means, and means for restraining the operation of such reactive energy-trans- 4mitting meansuntil a predetermined point is reached in the movement of the slide-rod.

5. Anengine-starter comprising a powerstoring device, means for connecting the power-storing device with an engine to start the engine and means including a centrifugal clutch for connecting the engine with the power-storing device to store power therein, a releasing plate for such clutch movable into operative position, a part controlled byl the movement of the power-storing device for moving such releasing plate, and a spring' interposed between such plate and part through' which movement is transmitted from said part to the plate.

6. An engine-starter comprising a powerstoring device, a member rotatively connected with the engine, means for connecting the power-storing device with the engine-connected member to start the engine, acentrifugal clutch for connecting the engine-con-4 nected member with the power-storing device to store power therein, a releasing plate for such clutch movable intooperative position, a slide-rod actuated by the power-storing device, and a spring resiliently connecting the-releasing plate and slide-rod during the movementof the releasing plate into or out of operative position.

7. An engine-starter comprising a powerstoring device, means for connecting the lpower-storing device with an engine to start the engine rand vmeans including a centrifugal clutch for connecting the engine with the power-storing device to store power therein, a releasing plate for such clutch movable into operative position, a. part cont-rolled by the movement of the power-storing device for moving such releasing plate, yielding means for connecting such plate and part, and a detent for restraining the movement of such plate, such detent having a locking engagement to a predetermined point in the movement of such part.

' 8. An engine-starter comprising a powerstoring device, la. power-transmittlng mem-v ber connected tlhereto, a member rotatably connected with the engine, means for connecting the l,lpower-transmitting member with'the engine-connected member to start an engine, a centrifugal clutch for connecting the engine-connected member with the power-storing device to store power therein, a slide-rod actuated by the power-transmitting member, a releasing plate 4for such clutch, yielding means for connectin such plate and slide-rod, and a detent or restraining the movement-of such plate, such detent having a locking engagement to a ,predetermined-point in the moement of the slide-rod. 4

l 9. engine-starter comprising a poweriso storing device, a member` rotatably .coimected with the engine, means for connecting the `power-storing,device with the en 'neconnected member to start the engine bythe.

power-storing device, a centrifugal arm carried by the engineconnected member, a ro-V. tatmg clutch-dog carrier connected to the' power-storing device, 4a-clutch-dog carried thereby and lnormally located in position -toco-act with the. centrifugalv arm upon the attainmentfof a predeterminedspeed of the VAengine-'connected member, a movable releasing plategengageable with the clutch-dog to move the clutch-dog out-of such co-active position, a movable part-acti1ated by the movement ofthe powerstoring device, and letractive yielding means for connectingsuch plate and part.

connected`A member to l'start .the-:engine, a =eer'itrifugalfarm'v carried bythe engine-eon nected member, a rotating clutch-dogv cari rier `connected to the power-storing device,

a clutch-dogcarriedthereby Vand normally',

locatedinposition to coact with the centrif ugal-arm upon the'attainmentof ya prede- 30.te1'minedl speed ofthe engine-connected member,' a `movablefreleasing plate engageable withwthe clutch-'dog to -move it out ofsuch co-acti've position, a movable part actuated by the movement ofthe power-storing device,

retractive yielding means fory connecting such plate and part, and adetent for recated in position to co-act with the centriin-` gal-arm luponthe attainment of a predetermined speed ofthe engine-connected memwithvthe clutch-dog to move the clutch-dog out of such co-active position, a movable part actuated by the movement of the power-stor-4 ling device, yielding means-for connectingV such plate and part, and adetent 'for ref` straining'the movement of such plate, such detent having a locking engagement' to a' predetermined point in the movement of such part.l

spring, a drum connected to one end ofthe spring, a ratchet on the drum, a shaft connected to the other end ofthe spring, a member rotatively connected with the engine and fitted torotate on the shaft, a pawl carried 10.l :An engine-starter comprising a power-l .storing device, a memberrotatably eonneet- `ed with the-engine, means for connecting thefpower-st'oring device with the engine` ber, a movable releasingiplate engageable.

12. An engine-starter comprising a starteri by such part and engaging the ratchet on the drum, a centrifugal-arm carried bythe engineconnected member, and means cooperatlve with such arm carrled by the v shaft.,

13. lAn engine-starter comprising astarterspring, a drum connected to one end of the spring, a ratchet on the drum, aushaft connected to the other end of the spring, a clutch-disk on the lshaft and a clutch-dog carried thereby, .a member rotatively con-v,

nected with the engine and fitted to rotate lon the shaft between the drum and clutchdisk,.a pawlV carried by such part inposi-y tion to engage the ratchet on the drum, and a 'centrifugal-arm also carriedby such part in yposition to engage the clutch-dog.

14. A n engine-starter comprising apowe1- storing vdevlce, drlvmg means for connecting the power-storingy device with an engine to start the engine including a clutch for.

connect-ing the' enginewith the power-storing device .to store power in the power-storingjdevice, clutchreleasing means controlled `by the power-storing device, lactuating means tending to move the clutch-releasing means into Aoperative position during the power-storing movement of the power-storing device, and a lock opposing such actuating means and holding the clutch-releasing means at non-operative position until a predetermined point isreache'd in the powerl 'l storing operation. v

l5. An engine-starter comprising apowerstoring device', driving means for connecting the Vpower-storing device with an engine to. startvthe engine, connecting means for connecting ythe engine with the power-storing device to store power in the power-storing,r

device, disconnecting means for disconnecting the connecting means to discontmue the power-'storing operation, reactlve actuating means forvthe disconnecting means arranged A to be gradually -put under stressv by the power-storing movement of the power-sterf mg device, vand locking mechanism for restraining the operation of' Isuch stressed reactive means, theflocking mechanismbeing controlled `bythe power-storing device so as to be vunlocked at a' predetermined.v point 1n the power-storing.-operation.v t

. l16. An enginestarter comprisingapciwer-.

storing device, a 'member .,rotatively connected with the engine, means forconnecting the power-storing device with the engine-connected member to start an engine, a v clutch for conliectiligz;ithe engine-connectedv member withthe lpower-storing device'tov store power therein, clutch vreleasing means,

resilient actuating means for the clutchreleasin means -arranged 'to be graduallyl put un r tension by the power-storing movement of the power-storing device, and a locking device-for holding the clutchvreleasing means at non-operative position in opposition tothe tension of the resilient actuatingmeans until a predetermined point isreached in the power-storing movement of the power-storing device.

'17. An engine-starter comprisi'ngapowerstoring device, a member rotatively connected with the engine, means for connecting the power-storing device with the engine-connected member to start an engine, a clutch for connecting the engine-connected member with the power-storing device to store power therein, a slide-rod actuated by the power-storing device, clutch-releasing means for said clutch, yieldable reactive actuating means connecting the clutch-releasing means with the slide-rod, apositioning detent for the clutch-releasing means, and a lock for holding the detent at engaging p0- sition, such lock being unlocked by the sliderod at a predetermined point in the movement'thereof duringthe power-storing operation.v

In testimony whereof I have aiiixed my 'signature in presence of two witnesses.

CLYDE J. COLEMAN. Witnesses:

HENRY D. WILLIAMS, HERBERT H. Gnss.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner ofatents,

Washington, D. C3. 

